Edmunds

Some Excerpts

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F Is for Fury
Regardless of what it means to the luxury carmaker (and how it appears to the serious sport-sedan buyer), the 2008 Lexus IS-F is a serious piece of highly engineered hardware indeed. At its heart, the 5.0-liter V8 (2UR-GSE) comes from a stroked version of the 4.6-liter engine (1UR-FSE) found in the luxo-cruising Lexus LS 460. Now that Yamaha (a frequent collaborator with Toyota for engine projects) has had its way with it, an essentially all-new engine pumps out an impressive 416 horsepower at 6,600 rpm with 371 pound-feet of torque available at 5,200 rpm.

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The engine's lightweight reciprocating mass (said to be half that of other UR engines) combines with variable valve timing to produce a lofty redline of 6,800 rpm.

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When you pour the 5.0-liter V8's power through the highly modified eight-speed automatic transmission (from the LS 460), the 3,780-pound IS-F is good for a 4.8-second time to 60 mph on the way to a quarter-mile in 13.2 seconds at 109 mph, and it's still accelerating hard — very hard.

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We admit we might've left a tenth or two on the IS-F's table, however. As much as we feel that Michelin Pilot PS2 tires are like sticky Lucky Charms, the IS-F's 255mm-wide rear contact patches aren't wide enough to duplicate a magically delicious launch.

That said, the roar of the rev-happy V8 is one of the most lust-worthy we've heard, rivaling the thrilling sound of the 4.2-liter V8 in the Audi RS 4, which also sounds like a flat-bottom drag-racing boat powered by a small-block V8 with open headers.
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Though if drag racing isn't quite the IS-F's sort of environment, road racing is. Besides the four other racetracks where camouflaged IS-F mules spent much of their time during testing, the car primarily was developed on Toyota's own Fuji International Speedway. A nice thing, if you can afford it.

What this did for the IS-F is readily evident in the car's ability to hold a line in the corners, the linearity and tractability of the engine's power, and the magnificent proficiency of the transmission's shift action in manual mode.

The brakes are also track-worthy. The fixed Brembo six-piston front calipers feature three different piston diameters and clamp 14.2-inch drilled and vented discs, while two-piston rear calipers squeeze 13.6-inch drilled and vented discs in the back. Sixty-to-zero stopping distances tumbled down with each successive stop with a best of 112 feet. We tired before these fade-resistant brakes did.
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The IS-F's turn-in is breathtakingly quick, as the car takes a confident and very firm set through corners with pretty stubborn understeer on the car's limit. We measured 0.93g on our skid pad.

Though the steering action is as precise as any rack-and-pinion can deliver, the artificially heavy effort of the two-mode, electric power assist (a 42V system) still cannot communicate as much information about the contact patches of the front tires as other sport sedans we've driven. Even so, the IS-F weaves its way to an exhilarating 70.2-mph slalom run where oversteer becomes the limiting factor. Credit the car's weight distribution of 54 percent front/46 percent rear.

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Automatic transmissions are slow-acting, power-sapping, indirect hindrances between an engine and a driver's will, right? Yet the IS-F's eight-speed Sport Direct Shift automatic transmission (AA80E) obliterates this notion with an entirely novel — and we think industry-changing — control system.

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When manual mode (shifted via steering-column paddles or the console-mounted gearlever) is selected, upshift times drop from a Lexus IS 350's typical 1.3 seconds (0.7 second to initiate plus 0.6 second to change ratios) to a mere 0.3 second (0.2 second to initiate plus 0.1 second to shift). We also appreciate the perfectly timed tone that reminds you to shift just before you hit the rev limiter in each gear.

The gloriously quick downshifts (with matched revs) sound as if the car has a true sequential gearbox. It's unbelievable. The only other transmission that comes close to such quick, driver-friendly action is the dual-clutch DSG gearbox like the one in an Audi A3, or perhaps the latest $9,000, Formula 1-style automated sequential manual like that in the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano.

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While the kind of on-track schooling the IS-F has received is generally a good performance-tuning practice that tends to breed more performance-capable vehicles, it doesn't always make for a livable car.

The IS-F short-travel suspension rides taut and firm like a racecar's — all the time. Without driver-adjustable suspension, freeway overpasses that are usually registered by the seat of your pants as a gentle, rolling hop become spine-compressing jolts. Consider yourself warned.

 

http://www.caranddriver.com/shortroa...ecs-page4.html
12.7 sec @ 114 mph

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...fications.html
13.0 sec @ 111.7 mph

 

 

Not too impressed.

Mike

 

OMG is that for real?! So basically the ugliest thing on the car isn't even functional! That's sad. I'm sure there'll be mod kits to undo that.

 

Yes that is for real. It was the same with the one at the auto show, I thought they would fix it but word is they didn't.

 

wow...

wow...

and



wow.

 

I wouldn't buy this over an IS350. I cannot justify the extra dollars Two tenths or three tenths are no biggies...and Imho the IS looks MUCH better then the IS-F!

RS4 or C63 FTW!!

 

So, this car am the suckage?
I wonder what the folks over at the Lexus forums are saying to excuse this...?





And at "rice" quad exhaust...

 

About time Lexus/Toyota. I hope they do good with the SC series, I mean that thing was powerful, but really wasn't that quick (we owned one since 02). Hell I drove the new camry v6 and it felt just as quick.

 

I really can't believe that.

 

Holy trap speeds!!!

Impressive, i will even admit.

$60k? eep.

 

Whatever about the tips.......the car is impressive regardless.

The car is overall no uglier than the GTR or M3 imho.

But its funny how each rag has completely different times and different comments about ride and whatnot.

 

i agree.
if i'm gonna drop a good extra 20 grand i wanna pick up some serious time.
not a couple tenths.
if i'm gonna drop 60 grand on a compact classy rocket I'm going to the Benz dealer for a C63 or BMW M3 sedan.

 

Fact......

IS-F vs M3:

IS-F has more HP and more torque,
Faster,
Better brakes,
Better handling,
Much better MPG.. (16mpg vs. 11mpg).
And should still be a bit cheaper

But of course the IS-F will lose in the C&D comparison due to that "BMW feeling."

The IS-F will even lose to a 328i.

 

You know what, 109-110 is more realistic. This car is unlikely to hit 114 mph in stock form. I smell a ringer. Not the first time Toyota has done that. Savvy?

 

this thing shits all over the M3 and so does the C63...

 

the car is ugly, plain and simple. audi rs4 ftw

 

the car looks much better in person. i like the way the exhaust tips look. it sucks they are not functional.

 

RS4 FTW regardless.

 

What is it about BMWs that you HATE so much?

If this IS-F is truly faster than an M3 (need to see head-to-head comparo) I would still choose the M3.

It's not ugly
It has a manual.

 

What some people are failing to see is that the Japanese and Euro companies are having a horsepower war. I say, who cares what the car looks like when they are hitting high 12's/low 13's with over 100 mph in the 1/4. it makes for more cars to choose from in the segment. And in a couple of years, we can start picking these things up for great prices.

 

yes and no.
a lot depends on gas prices bigman. cause if gas prices continue the way their going some people might just keep em due to resale value being crappy and get like a civic or 4 popper accord something easier on gas.
a M3 or IS-F Lexus isn't your grandma's car that gets 35 mpg. it's the take it to the track stomp on the gas i don't care if it gets 5 mpg car.
it's like my buddy he has a 2004 Silverado 1/2 ton 4 door 4x4 with 6.0 v-8 in it. he bought it new. he was looking to trade but they wouldn't give him hardly anything for it cause they "claimed" people aren't buying trucks like they used to due to gas prices. which i understand. but the truck in good shape and runs great. just hard to sell a car with more than 6 cylinders unless your gonna pull a boat or race it.